When we visited Alaska the first time my favorite excursion was taking a helicopter to dog sled on top of a glacier so when we had the chance to do it again during our Carnival cruise stop in Juneau we jumped at the chance.
We booked our tour with North Star Trekking and were not disappointed. We started our helicopter flight with a scenic tour of surrounding glaciers and landed on Norris Glacier where our sled dogs live for the summer with their caretakers. The dogs are amazing and friendly and they absolutely love to run. Our team of dogs for my sled placed 10th in the last Iditarod race. Sisters Rumbler and Rambler were the lead dogs for my smooth ride around the several mile courses on the glacier.
In Juneau, this is a ship excursion that should not be missed. If you book in the morning you can also make it back to town in time to see the sights of the city and even have time for a ride up the Mount Roberts Tramway that is a short walk from the cruise port.
In operation since 1996, the tram makes a six-minute ascent of 3,819-foot. The top terminal of the tram is located on a tower and has views of the City of Juneau and the Gastineau Channel, Douglas Island and the community of Douglas to the west, the Chilkat Mountain Range to the north, and Kupreanof Island to the South.
The Juneau Raptor Center operates a bald eagle display at the summit, which provides a recovery center for injured eagles and educational programs for tram visitors. Visitors can also enter the Nature Center which offers guided hiking adventures and books and maps on local recreation.